


The Chat Came Back

by Freedom_Shamrock



Series: Princess and Kitty [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Marichat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 06:07:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10551358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedom_Shamrock/pseuds/Freedom_Shamrock
Summary: Bobbin Bug prequel showing how those MariChat movie nights got started.  Can stand on its own.





	

Contrary to popular fan belief, Ladybug was genuinely fond of Chat Noir.  He was one of her best friends, in or out of costume, and she knew she could go to him with any problem, and he would help her if he could.  Sure, his sense of humor was a punderful mess, but so was her own.  She tended to reserve her puns for impact, and sometimes she was a little jealous of how they just seemed to fall out of him.

Marinette was about to settle into her patio chair when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.  A familiar shadow darted across nearby rooftops. Without really thinking it through, she called out to him.  "Good evening, Chat Noir!"

The shadow slid to a stop.  From the distance and low light, she couldn't see it, but she knew his cat ears were tilting and pivoting to catch the sound. "Over here!"  She waved her hand with exaggerated movements.

A moment later he was bounding toward her.  She stepped back, giving him space, but he alighted on the railing, balancing easily.  "Good evening Princess," he said quietly.  "Is there something your humble knight can do for you?"

She smiled and shook her head.  "I just wanted to say hello."  Oh dear, that sounded lame.  "And to thank you," she added.  "You helped save one of my classmates yesterday."

He beamed at her. "All in a day's work."

She shook her head. "Oh no.  You don't get out of it that easily, Sir Chat.  I don't care if you are a hero.  You're still a person, and you deserve to be appreciated for all you do to keep us safe."  She was struck by inspiration, not unlike figuring out Lucky Charm.  He was a growing boy, or young man, really, and so very thin.  "I just made cookies," she explained, gesturing to her bedtime snack, set out on the little table.  "If you're not in a rush, I'd love to share."

His eyes went round as he glanced at her plate.  "Oh… I couldn't take your snack." Despite his polite words, she heard hesitation in his voice.

"Is that all?" she giggled.  "I'll fetch you your own plate," she offered. "Milk too?"  She was already crouching to go through the skylight.

"Only if it's no trouble," he insisted.

She froze and looked over her shoulder at him.  "You are never too much trouble, Chat Noir.  Never."

* * *

"Chat Noir stopped by last night," Marinette said as she sat down to supper with her parents.  She didn't look up from the bread she was buttering, but she felt them go still.

"Was it a business or social call?" he mother finally asked.

"Social." She cooped out a serving of lasagne for herself.  "I was on my balcony, having my bedtime snack.  And I guess he was out for a routine patrol."  She doubted anyone had seen him, but she couldn't be sure.  If it came out later, she didn't want it to look like she was hiding anything.  The more upfront she was, the less she had to lie and the less likely they'd realize she had bigger secrets.

"I gave him cookies and milk as a thank you for taking care of that akuma earlier this week," she explained.

"That was sweet of you," her father said nodding his head in approval.  "I don't think that boy eats enough."

Her mother clucked her tongue in dismay.  "Marinette," she began, sounding disappointed.  "Haven't we taught you what happens when you feed strays?"

Her father snorted with laughter.

* * *

It was several days before Chat Noir paid her another visit.  She'd done her own patrol earlier in the night and had returned to her balcony to work through a design that she was excited about.  She'd started up a sewing and fashion design vlog a few months earlier, and now that she'd posted several episodes of basics, she wanted to try teaching a very basic pattern and skirt.  A few of her followers had been asking for something to help them put together the pinning, seams, elastic adjustments and hemming they'd learned from her.  It seemed like a great idea.

While she preferred pleats or darts for flair they were probably a bit too much for a beginner, so she'd gone with a basic circle skirt, with four options for length.  If she did an elastic waist, she could teach zippers and buttons another time.  If anything, this project was helping her identify more topics for future videos.

The late spring night was quiet, so she heard the familiar ponk of Chat's baton launching him and and the patter of his feet touching down.  She looked up and watched as he came closer.  Was he patroling her neighborhood?  Would he notice she was here?  Oh.  He was definitely heading over.  Perhaps her mother's concern over feeding stray cats was legitimate.  But then, she didn't mind.  Chat could be a complete loon, but he was sweet and fun and very kind.  She knew he didn't get out to enjoy himself very much.

"Good evening Princess," he called, announcing his approach.

"Good evening, Kitty," she replied, smiling as he hopped lightly over the railing.

He stared at her a moment, a goofy grin on his face.  "Kitty?" he asked.

She nodded firmly. "If you're going to have a pet name for me, I need one for you." And she had to be careful that she didn't use either of the names she used as Ladybug.

"It's purrfect."  

She giggled and rolled his eyes.  The easy puns were never as impressive as the more obscure ones that suggested he was both very smart and highly educated.  "Would you like more cookies?  Or maybe something more substantial?"

"I didn't come for food," he insisted.

"You didn't?" From her years as his partner she knew he was always hungry. Something about his father and a weird health kick.

He shook his head. "I came for the company.  Is that… okay?  Is it weird?" She'd also learned that his social skills were oddly honed.  Put him at a high class event, and Chat Noir knew all the insane rules.  Give him a fellow teenager to hang out with and he was an awkward muffin.

"It's not weird, I pawmise."

"I see what you did there."  He let out a little laugh.

"But since you are here, and I've been taught that the best way to make a guest feel welcome is to feed them, I need to get you a snack.  Otherwise I'll feel like I'm doing something wrong."  She opened her eyes as wide as she could and gazed up at him, channeling Manon's begging expression.  "Please can I get you something, so I don't feel rude?"

"Aah!" He covered up his face with both hands, then peeked between his fingers at her.  "Anything.  Just stop that.  I'm going to burst into tears and melt into a puddle of magical leather if you don't quit it."

Laughing, she turned to her skylight.  "I'll be right back.  Make yourself comfortable."  She snatched a couple of left over danishes and some asiago buns from the box that her mother would drop off at the homeless drop-in center tomorrow morning, and headed back upstairs. Chat was looking at her skirt design, his eyebrows rumpled in confusion.

"I wasn't sure what you liked best, so I got a variety," she said, sliding the plate onto the little table.  "Is something wrong with my design?"

He shook his head quickly.  "Not wrong.  It just seems… a little simplistic. I've heard you're pretty good at this design thing."  He winced, as if he was afraid he'd offended her.  "Sorry."

She let out a breathy laugh.  "It's okay.  It **is** simplistic, and far below my usual skill level.  Two seams, a hem. and an elastic waist." Her finger tapped the drawing as she called out the features.  "But, it's a training tool for the beginners who've been following my blog. They've been asking for something more than mending or swapping out buttons, so I tried my hand at designing something for them." She rolled her eyes.  "It was harder than I expected, honestly. I look forward to getting a few more basics posted so we can move on to something with pleats.  Or sleeves."

"That is so cool," he said, grinning at her.  "You're so cool. Teaching complete strangers how to fix and make clothes."

"Everyone has to start somewhere."  She handed him a glass of milk.  "I was lucky.  My mother had a friend who was willing to teach me how to sew.  Not everyone has someone like that."

"Pleats, huh?" he asked.  "And cute skirts?  Fluffy draping bits?  Sparkles?" His smile widened further with each suggestion.

"They all have their place," she agreed with a giggle.  "I don't do sparkles so much these days, but I did have an extremely sparkly phase when I was… thirteen, I think."

"Did you feel kinship for Tomoyo, then?" he asked.

"Who?"

"You know, Sakura's best friend."  He snatched a danish off the tray.

Marinette shook her head.  "I've never heard of either of them.  Are they designers?"

He stared at her in disbelief.  "Are you telling me you've never watched Cardcaptor Sakura?"

"Card captor?" she asked slowly.

"It's an anime.  And a manga.  Seriously?"  He shook his head.  "I think you'd like it.  I mean, yeah, there's some stuff that's totally silly, it's a magical girl superhero story, though, so strong female characters and there's a huge fashion element."

"I haven't watched a lot of anime," she admitted.  "Not that there's anything wrong with it," she was quick to point out.  "I just don't watch a lot of television."

He huffed.  "I have the whole series."  He turned to her and nodded.  "I could loan you the first part and you could try it out, if you want. No pressure.  I just think you'd like it."

She thought for a moment.  "I usually do movie night on Fridays."  She tilted her head from side to side.  "A couple of my friends started dating, and that's their date night.  They've invited me along, but…"

"Don't want to be a third wheel?" he asked.

"No thank you," she said firmly.

He shook his head ruefully.  "I totally know the feeling."  In that moment he looked lonely.  Something about his eyes gave it away.  She'd seen it sometimes when she was Ladybug, but he managed to hide it so quickly she'd never been able to follow up on it.  "Except in very special circumstances, my friends aren't generally available on Friday nights."

"I'd be willing to give it a shot," she blurted, an idea coming to her in a rush of inspiration.  "The um anime, that is."

"Oh.  Well I could drop it off for you, before Friday," he offered.

"What are you doing on Friday evening?" she asked.

"I have patrol."  He straightened up.  "Gotta keep Paris safe.  But I can swing by with them before that."

"Sure.  Or you could do your patrol early and watch them with me."  She was unprepared for his intense stare.  "Movie night is just me and a bowl of popcorn.  I'd love company.  If you want to join me."

He let out a little sigh.  "Really?"

She nodded.

"It wouldn't be weird to have a leather-clad superhero hanging out with you?" He sounded uncertain.

She giggled again and shook her head.  "Though I should probably let my parents know, and they'll probably want to meet you."  She held up a hand before he could interrupt.  "Don't worry.  They're really nice.  I think Mama has always wanted to make you cocoa."

"I love cocoa," he moaned.

"Great.  You bring the movies, I'll bring the snacks.  And the pillow fort." She shrugged.  "I'm a sucker for pillow forts."

"Thanks Princess."  He beamed at her, his smile practically lighting up her balcony.  "This cat couldn't ask for a better friend."

**Author's Note:**

> I think this one's just going to be a one shot, but I am planning a Bobbin Bug sequel that will be at least 3 chapters at this point.


End file.
